On July 4, an LNA spokesman announced the intention of the military "to enter Tripoli without an armed confrontation, with the help of its citizens." Sarraj described the statement as unacceptable.
On July 5, Haftar declared the complete liberation of the country's second most populous city Benghazi from extremist militias.
The previous meeting between the politicians took place in May in the capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi. The sides agreed to hold snap presidential and general elections within six months, as well as to create a new ruling structure, namely, a presidential state council.
Libya has been in a state of turmoil since 2011, when a civil war broke out in the country and long-standing leader Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown, and the country was contested by two rival governments — the internationally-recognized Council of Deputies based in Tobruk and the Tripoli-based General National Congress.
The two governments agreed to create the Government of National Accord, form the Presidency Council, and end the political impasse in late 2015. Backed by the United Nations and without the support of the Tobruk parliament, the Government of National Accord in Tripoli started its work in late March 2016.